The law school applicant boom, which continued in 2025-2026 with an 8 percent increase in applicants on top of an 18 percent surge the year before, shows little sign of easing, according to a new survey by global education company Kaplan.* A combined 91 percent of law school admissions officers said the 2026-2027 application cycle would be at least as competitive as the 2025-2026 cycle. Of that 91 percent, 9 percent said it would be “much more competitive”, 29 percent said it would be “somewhat more competitive”, and 53 percent said the level of competitiveness would remain “about the same.” Only 6 percent predicted a less competitive cycle; and 3 percent weren’t sure.

Nationwide, 82,484 people applied to American Bar Association-accredited law schools this year, marking the largest applicant pool since 2010, according to Law School Admission Council data.

What’s continuing to fuel the surge in law school applicants? Looking back on the 2025-2026 admissions cycle, 10 percent of survey respondents said the current political climate in the U.S. was the main factor behind the applicant surge, with another 44 percent saying it was a major driver of the increase. Another 39 percent said the political climate moderately drove the increase. Just 3 percent called it a slight factor or non-factor; and 3 percent weren’t sure. This closely tracks 2025 Kaplan research, suggesting that politics remains a key force driving this sustained increase in applicants, in addition to a challenging post-college graduation job market.               

Glen Stohr, lead LSAT® instructional designer, Kaplan, said:

“Over the past year, Kaplan has continued to see elevated numbers of students preparing for the LSAT, signaling sustained interest in legal education. While LSAT scores are valid for five testing years, meaning not every student preparing today will apply this cycle, all signs point to a highly competitive environment. And given the intensity of today’s political climate, we expect it to remain a significant driver of interest in law school. While passions may be high, the primary motivation for pursuing a J.D. should be a genuine desire to practice law. The decision shouldn’t simply be about responding to the politics of the next few years, but preparing for a career that may span the next four decades.”

Stohr also notes that a strong LSAT score is not only a critical admissions factor, but also plays an important role in affordability. Beyond its weight in deciding who gets in, LSAT performance is a major consideration in the awarding of merit-based financial aid, meaning a strong score can potentially make a legal education significantly easier to pay for.

Contact russell.schaffer@kaplan.com to speak with a law school admissions expert at Kaplan.

*Admissions officers from 90 of the nation’s 198 American Bar Association-accredited law schools were polled by Kaplan via email between July and September 2026. Among the 90 law schools that participated are 25 of the top 50, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

LSAT® is a registered trademark of Law School Admission Council, Inc. which does not review or endorse specific test preparation materials or services.

About Kaplan

Kaplan, Inc. is a global education company that helps individuals and institutions advance their goals in an ever-changing world. Our broad portfolio of solutions helps students and professionals further their education and careers, universities and educational institutions attract and support students, and businesses maximize employee recruitment, retention, and development. Stanley Kaplan founded our company in 1938 with a mission to expand educational opportunities for students of all backgrounds. Today, our thousands of employees working in 40 countries/regions continue Stanley’s mission as they serve about 1.2 million students and professionals, 16,000 corporate clients, and 2,700 schools, school districts, colleges, and universities worldwide. Kaplan is a subsidiary of the Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). Learn more at kaplan.com.

Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of the Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC)

Media gallery

About The Author
Business Wire